ET Phone Home

My new apartment is right behind the hospital. Interspersed with the typical street noise every hour or so is the sound of a siren, and once in a while a helicopter. I worried that it would be disheartening living so close to so much chaos and tragedy, but I actually find it strangely reassuring. Inside every ambulance I picture someone coming to get help, to get better.

To get to the T, I can shortcut through the hospital. I walk through each wing and out the emergency room entrance, and I'm reminded how lucky I am to be falling back into routines while so many people are in the hospital, unexpectedly or unwillingly.

I've been taking this shortcut often, if only to keep my hands warm. One of the few lingering effects of chemo has been a weird sensation in my fingers when they get cold. They'll get pretty numb and all the blood will drain out of them, leaving the tips entirely white, or sometimes bluish. It is fascinating! A friend told me this is pretty common and has a name (Raynaud's), so I looked it up online, because I couldn't help myself. Among many hilarious tips I found online was this gem: "Wear gloves when reaching into the freezer."

If I were to wear gloves, though, it might really detract from the ET impression I've worked so hard to master. Beeeee...gooooood.